The scandal sub-judice for over two years will finally take its toll as Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema face alleged charges of soliciting an underage prostitute.
The pair is in the squad ahead of the friendly against Italy on Wednesday. There is however, no possibility of the two risking their position in the squad as Didier Deschamps, coach of the national team was quoted saying, “the matter was in judicial hands
and did not affect their role on the football pitch or in the national team”.
Despite the accusations, both players deny the claims, and fortunately for the duo, Zahia Dehar, the then 16-year-old, and the main subject of controversy, has said on record said that neither of the players knew that she was 16.
The court wants the accused to testify before court but no official date has been set as yet. Earlier, Magistrate Andre Dandot has refused to rule out the case on prosecutor’s recommendation on mere basis that the players did not realize she was underage.
Ribery’s advisor, Sophie Bottai, had shown utter surprise over pursuing of the case despite the prosecutor’s advice against it.
It is pertinent to mention here that under the French law, paid s*x with someone under the age of 18 can prompt three years of imprisonment and a fine of 45 000 euros, subject to the fact that the accused were aware of the age of the minor.
The infamous scandal, which later became known as “The Zahia Affair”, surfaced into limelight two years ago, after the police investigated claims that a Paris based nightclub had given access to underage prostitutes. The allegations, however, date back to
2008 and 2009.
The forward duo had at numerous occasions, pledged their innocence from the accusations they find themselves embroiled in. Benzema’s legal counsel is very optimist about defending his client and believes, “There is other material in the record to prove my
client’s innocence. I feel it pays to be young and famous”.
According to Dehar, the current Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema, paid for s*x with her in 2008, while she was only 16. Dehar, now 20, further alleged that Ribery flew her to Munich for s*x the following year.
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